Central-station apparatus



Mar.' 3. 1925-.

J. .1. REGAN I CENTRAL STATION APPARATUS Filed mi 2. 192:5

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Han-3. 1925. 1,528,631

v J.J. REGAN cgNTRAL STATION APPARATUS Filed May 1923 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Mar. 3. 1925.

J. J. REGAN ACENTRAL STATION APPARATUS Filed May a, 192s 4 sheets-sheet @757511Z f @M1/@WV Mu. 3.1925. I J.`J. REGAN CENTRAL STATION APPARATUS .4. a, K .f m

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difficult, ifnotimpossible,-to provide for Patented Mar. 3, 1925.

STATES PATENT fors/incre.

JOHN J. REG'AN, OFjBOSTON,"MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE LAMSON'COMIANY, 0F`SYRACUSE, NEW YORK, A CORTO'RATION'OT MASSACHUSETTS.'

cEN'rR-ALes'iATioN APPARATUS. y

Application filed May 2, c

To all whom it may vconcern Be it knownthat l, JOHN J. lineair, a' citi Zen of the United States of America, and

-rresident of Boston,-in the county ofSuifolk randSta-te vof Massachusetts, haveinvented The capacityrof thecenti'al station of a carrier despatch- 'system must necessarily increase as the:establishment:grows and the. number of clerks or-sub-stations, hereinafter referred to as sending stat-ions is correspondingly augmented, but in many of the older iinstallations, lack `rof available space for expansion .makes'it- V-exceedingly the greater 'numbeiuof operators .usually deemed necessary `for performing a larger number ofitransactions. This is particu` laily apparent; in those establishments-Where carrier systems-.of the cable type are employedras-,this type .ofi-system is muchless amenable to-croivdingrthan is aesystemfof the pneumatic type, ,for-example, and -pieseiitsgreaterdifficulties iniinst'allation Where headroom is limited `and :Whereanany and` vabrupt--raiiglesf must be. turned. Thus, iflit is not possibley to. increase the, -sp ace .forl installation, the kmost fea-sible. alternative appears to be to-decrease the size. of the y,individual units comprising; the central stationsoas to make a more. compact arrangement. Coinpactness off-arrangement. when; properly carried into efect, notonly` increasesthe capaeity of the cent-ral station unity and makes for Y greater. flexibility/'1in .operation by `permitt-ing one operator to'. care for more ,than the ,usual number of -sending stations, i but .also Yallows a lar-ger numbeizofv opcratorsxto perform tlienecessary Jrtransactions Arelating to the. same lgroup of sendingstati-ons `Without .interference or confusion :when .the vol.- ume of businessincreases.

In accordance with the present invention, the. sendinggdevices particularlyand prefer: ably ,tlie receiving devices, as well, of each central Station "unit arearranged coin.-l

1323. f'slal JNO. 636,079.

pactlyjthat an individual ioperator is `able to perform,aJnuch-,greatergnumber of ,transactions than Yusual `with substantially yno morezhurry orfexertion, .Wlijile the'new 4units take up so little floor space: as compared With the usual Aarrangement that a -greater `number A ofi operators :may vWork `efficiently in the rsame Havailable space than has heretofore 'been possible.

:Among the vfeatures contributing to `this Edesirable lresult is an arrangement `whereby Athe incomingcarriers from a large number of outlying stations are automatically deflivered, substantially in the order of their arrival, upon a table or shelf in yfront of the operators station from which they'inay yreadily be'picked up Without requiring the manipulation of catches or other releasing means. A series of cable despatch terminals, corresponding tothe several outlying stations, are disposed Within convenient reach of the operators stations, the carrier receivingv opening of each terminal beingdisvposed in either'a vertical. or horizontal plane directly opposite the operators position so asito facilitate engagement of the carriers Withtlie cables Without-u-ndueexertion on the part. ofthe operator. #The delivery and despatch terminals corresponding to each fsending station -are arranged in the same vertical plane, Withthe delivery terminal -behind the ldespatch lterminal, ythus .allowing the correspondillg` pairs oftracls tosap- ;proacli the` stationat any7 desired`I height or heights :above the. level ,of` the receiving table `or shelf ,Without interference with each other or requiringa vlarge number ,of sharp bends or turns, `thus `Jfacilitating the arrangement oftliefcarrier receiving openings at-'the mosti convenient position "for the op- .tralstation,apparatus constructed in accordance with Y the present invention;

Fig. 2 .is v a front elevatioinpartly diagrammatic, of the apparatus shown in Fig. l;

Sis a vertical section substantially on A thefline of Fig. il;

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic plan of a central station embodying one unit of the improved apparatus;

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic end elevation of the structure shown in Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a vertical section to larger' scale, on the line 6-6 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a front elevation:

Fig. 9 is a side elevation of a despatch terminal employed in the preferred form of the apparatus; and

Fig. 10 is a vertical section similar to Fig. 6, but illustrating a modification, and Fig. 11 is an enlarged front elevation of a despatch terminal used in the apparatus shown in Fig. 10.

Referring to Fig. 4, a central station is indicated generally by the numeral 1 having one unit 2 of operating mechanism positioned at one end thereof. Vhile as herein shown but one unit is installed in the central station, it is to be understood that as many similar units may be installed as space will permit or occasion may demand.

Each operating unit preferably comprises a. plurality of operators stations 3, 4, 5, arranged atone side of an elongate desk 6. This desk comprises a working table or shelf 7, (Fig. G) a recess or depression S for the reception of cashiers tills or other appurtenances, and a table 9 upon which arriving carriers are deposited in front of the operators. This table is conveniently arranged somewhatrbelow the level of the table '7 and if desired may be provided with a metallic facing 10 which serves to prevent rapid wear and at the same time facilitates the movement of carriers lengthwise of the table. The forward edge of the table may be provided with an upstanding flange or bead 11 formed of any suitable material, such for example as sheet metal, and which prevents carriers from dropping laterally from the table 9 into the till space S.

The rear edge of the table or shelf 9 is defined by a vertical panel 12. Spaced to the rear of the panel 12 is a panel 13 from which in turn a similar panel 14 is spaced. The panels 13 and 14 define an elongate trough 0r channel 15 extending parallel to the shelf 9 but having its Hoor disposed in a plane somewhat above the plane of said shelf. The floor of the trough or channel 15 is formed by the upper runs 16, 17 of a pair of endless belt conveyors supported by the pulleys 18, 19; 20, 21, respectively. These belts are constantly driven in opposite direct-ions .so that their yupper runs move awa-y from the central part of the desk 6.

Adjacent to the opposite ends of theA inclined deflectors 22, 23 are disposed across the trough 15 so as to divert carriers moving upon the respective belt conveyors and cause said carriers to pass forwardly through the openings in the panel 13. Forwardly and downwardly inclined chutes 24, 25 are associated with the respective openings and terminate substantially in the plane of the upper surface of the table 9.

At either end of the table 9 an elongate open trough or guideway is arranged, such troughs comprising the spaced side walls 26, 27; 28, 29, respectively. These troughs extend substantially in alignment with the longitudinal axis of the table 9 and their floors are formed by the upper runs 30, 31, respectively, of a pair of endless belt conveyors mounted upon pulleys 32, 33; 34, 35, respectively. These belt conveyors are constantly driven in opposite directions so that their upper runs move toward the center of the desk 6. The upper runs of these conveyors lie substantially in the plane of the upper surface of the table 9 so that carriers deposited upon the respective conveyors are moved in opposite directions onto the end portions of the table.

Each unit of the apparatus is intended to serve a series of outlying sending stations with which it is connected by conveyor tracks 36, 37, 3S, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, respectively, (Fig. 4) it being understood that the specific number of stations served by the apparatus may be varied as circumstances or experience indicate to be desirable. As the terminal portions of such pair of tracks are similar it is sufficient herein to describe but one in detail.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 6 and 7, the track 36 is shown as comprising the upper rails 36 forming the despatch element along which carriers move from. the central station to the clerks stat-ion, and the lower rails 36b forming the delivery element along which carriers move from the clerks or sending station to the central station. The rails 36L are arranged vertically above the rails 36", and the latter are bent at 44 to provide a vertical terminal portion which is supported upon a bracket 45 carried by the upper edges of panels 13, 14 respectively. The lower extremities 46 of the rails 36b are bent (Figs. 2 and 7) so as to direct carriers delivered therefrom in the general direction of movement of the conveyor belt lying immediately beneath them. Thus the termina-ls at one end of the desk are bent to direct their carriers onto belt. 16, while those at the other end are oppositely bent to direct their carriers onto the belt 17.

The ends of the rails 36a are supported by a bracket 47 and just to the rear of the bracket the rails are spread to provide a horizontally disposed carrier receiving opening 48,- (Figs. 1 and 7). The usual mechandespatch of carriers but without substan-k tially complicating the apparatus.

The driving cable comprises the run 51 associated with the tracks 36" and extending from the clerks or sending stations. The cable passes over the guide pulley 52 and extends downward at 53 and about the driv;

ing pulley 54:, thence upwardly about the guide pulleys'55 and56. then rearwardly below arrier receiving opening t8 and in parallelism with tracks 36a to the sending or elerks station. 'lne pulley 55 may be dispensed with by suitably positioning pulley 56.

ln the operation of the device, all carriers arriving from the sending` stations drop freely from the ends of the corresponding delivery terminals into the trough and onto one or the other of the belts 16, 17. The carriers are moved by these belts until they engage one or the other of the deflectors Q2, 23 by which they are diverted forwardly onto the inclined chutes 9A, 25. The carriers pass down these chutes onto one or the other of the belts 30, 31 and are then moved inwardly toward the center of the desk until they are delivered onto the upper surface of the table 9. If a. carrier deposited upon the table is not immediately picked up by an operator, it will be pushed further along by the next carrier to arrive so that the order of arrival of carriers may readily be determined at any time by inspection of their arrangen'ient upon the table 9. The operator, seated at one of the stations 3, 4 or 5, may pick up the carrier freely from the table 9 and after performing the desired transactionv may return the carrier to the sending point by inserting it. in the proper opening i6. As the despatch terminals are arranged side by side and closely adjacent to each other, it is possible for a single operator to reach a large number of such terminals for placing carriers therein without rising from her place and without undue exertion.

If. however. the business should increase so that a single operator could not care for it. additional operators may be located at the adjacent stations and as the arriving carriers are deposited upon the table 9 within easy reach of either of the operators, it is possible for all of the operators to work at a uniform sneed without reference to the number of carriers being received from any par-A ticular outlying station. Y Furthermore, as all of the despatch terminals arev arranged closely adjacent to each other, it is possible to mount more of such terminals in the same desk space than has heretofore been thought possible in cent-ral station apparatus of this type.

The arrangement of the despatch and delivery terminals of each pair in the same vertical plane and one in front of the other eliminates many of the turns or bends commonly thought necessary in central. station apparatus and permits the several tracks to approach the station at different levels without interference and without making it necessary to employ crossovers for connecting the tracks `with the proper sending or delivery terminals. The device may thus be installed in situations where it would not be possible to install central station apparatus of the usual type, and regardless of the situation, the `cost of installation is greatly reduced by the simplicity of thestructure and the ease with which it may be installed.

In Figs, 10 and 11 a slightly modified form of the apparatus is illustrated. In these figures the desk is indicated at Aand comprises the working table 67, the till receptacle 68 and the carrier receiving shelf 69. The rear edge of this shelf is defined by the panel 7 2 and to the rear of this panel a second panel 7 3 is arranged. Another panel 74 is spaced from the panel 7 3 to define the carrier receiving channel 7 5.

As in the previously described structure, the'I floor of the carrier receiving channel consists of two oppositely moving endless belts which convey carriers deposited thereon toward opposite ends ofthe desk, such carriers are then moved forwardly and onto belts which deposit them upon the table 69 in the same manner as above described.r

In this instance, the lower tracks 136b terminate in the channel 75 in the same manner as the corresponding tracks of the first de* scribedmodification. rlhe upper tracks or rails 136a extend forwardly and are bent at to provide substantially vertical portions whose lower ends are secured at 81 to a shelf or bracket 82 mounted on the upper edge of the panel 7 2. The vertically disposed portions of the rails 136n are spread apart near their lower ends to provide the carrier receiving opening L18;

The carrier drivingl cable comprises the run 51*1 parallel to the lower rails 136b and is guided over a. pulley 52 from whence it passes downwardly at 53a to the driving pulley 54. The cable then passes up between the panels 7 2, 73 and over a guide pulley 55. From this pulley it passes do-wnwardly and forwardly beneath 'a guide pulley 56 mounted on the shelf 82 and thence in a vertical run 57a immediately to the rear of the opening 48a and substantially parallel to the vertical portions ofthe rails 136% By properly designing the parts, pulley 55a-niay be dispensed with, if desired.' The` cable then passes about a guidepulley 58 Whose periphery is substantially concentric `with the curved portion SO of the rails-136a and after passing about this pulley the cable eX- tends in a horizontal run '59"L parallel to the rails 136a to the sending station. Manifestly,` if desired, the despatch openings 48a might be arranged at the side of the terminal structure rather than directly in the front of the latter, such an arrangement being preferred in some situations and by some operators.

While the delivery and despatch terminals of but one set of tracks has herein been specifically described, it is to be understood that the tracks communicating with the other sub-sending stations will be furnished With similar terminal facilities.

Although, as herein disclosed, the invention is illustrated as embodied in a cable type carrier despatch system, many of its desirable features are equally applicable to systems of other` type, and it is contemplated that While the term track has herein been employed in describing` a cable type track, it is equally applicable to tracks such as pneumatic tubes, etc., along which carriers move to and from the central station.

I claim:

1. A central station unit comprising an elongate table having an operators station disposed at one side thereof, a row of carrier delivery terminals disposed at the other side of the table, means for causing carriers discharged from said terminalsto move forwardly into line with the table, and a constantly moving conveyor for receiving and transferring the carriers longitudinally of the table toward its central part.

2. A central station unit comprising an elongate table having an operators station at one side thereof, a plurality of delivery terminals at its opposite side, means for conveying carriers discharged from said terminals in a path substantially parallel to the table, means for diverting carriers from said path and causing them to move forwardly substantially into line With the table, and means for moving the carriers along the table toward the center thereof.

3. A central station unit comprising an elongate table having an operators station at one side anda row of delivery terminals at its opposite' side, means for receiving carriersidelivered by said terminals and for moving, said carriers in a path substantially parallel'to the table and behind thel latter, means permitting the carriers to move forwardly from said path, and means for moving the carriers along a path extending lengthwise of the table.

4. A central Vstation unit comprising an operators station, an elongate support Withinconvenient reach of said station, means foi* deliveringcarriers onto said support from either end thereof, and a bank of cable despatch terminals disposed above said support, each of said terminals having a carrier receiving opening Within convenient reach of the operator at said station, the plane of the several openings being substantially horizontal.

5. A central station unit comprising an operators station, a table Within convenient reach of said station upon Which carriers are delivered,land a bank of cable despatch terminals disposed above the table each having a horizontally extending run of cable associated with it, and a carrier receiving open ing permitting a carrier to be engaged with said run of the cable, the several openings being disposed Within reach of an operator seated at said station.

6. A central station unit comprising an operators-station, a bank of despatch terminals Within convenient' reach of the operators station, a delivery terminal correspond ing to each despatch terminal, said delivery terminals terminating in a vertical plane to the rear of the bank of despatch terminals, and common means for directing all arriving carriers to a position immediately below the bank of despatch terminals.

7. A central station unit comprising an operators station having an elongate table in front of it, a bank of carrier despatch terminals directly above the table and Within reach of the operators station, a row of delivery terminals behind the table, and means for` causing arriving carriers to move forwardly onto the table and to a pont bclow the despatch te 1minals.

8. A central station unit comprising an operators station, a row of despatch terminals having their carrier receiving openings Within reach of the operators station, a row Y of delivery terminals behind and parallel to the row of despatch terminals, and common means for causing carriers arriving through all of the delivery terminals to move for- Wardly to a position Where they may conveniently be reached by an operator at the station.

9. A central station unit comprising an operators station, a despatch terminal hav ing its carrier receiving opening arranged Within convenient reach of an operator at the station, a delivery terminal from the end ofiyvhicli arriving carriers are freely discharged, said delivery terminal being disposed to the rear to the despatch terminal, and means for causing carriers discharged from the delivery terminal to move forwardly into reach of an operator at the station.

10. A central station unit comprising an operators station, a plurality of pairs of delivery and despatch terminals corresponding to outlying sending stations, the delivery terminal of each pair being disposed directly behind its: corresponding despatchterminal, and means forreceiving all carriers discharged from the delivery terminals and bringingv such carriers fto restina positiony where they are within `convenient* reach lof anA operator atithe station.

11. A central station unit comprisingvany elongate support having an operatorsstationy yat one side thereof, means for movingy side thereof from the operators station, a

deiiector for diverting carriers from said path, a chute for directing diverted carriers toward the plane of the table, and means for receiving carriers from the chute and moving them onto the table.

12. A central station unit comprising an elongate support having an operators station at one side and means at its opposite side for moving arriving carriers in a predetermined path away from the operators station, a defiector for diverting carriers from said path, and a conveyer belt arranged to deliver such diverted carriers onto the table.

13. A central station unit comprising an operators station, a bank of despatch termina-ls Within reach of the station, a row of delivery terminals behind the despatch terminals, a belt conveyer for receiving carriers from the delivery terminals and moving them in a predetermined path away from the operators station, a second belt conveyer for moving carriers toward the operators station, and means for transferring carriers from the first to the second belt.

14. A central station unit comprising an elongate table, an operators station at one side of the table, a row of delivery terminals extending substantially parallel with thetable at the opposite side thereof, an elevated belt conveyer for receiving carriers discharged from the terminals and moving them away from the center of length of the table, a second belt conveyer moving substantially in the plane of the table and toward the center thereof, an inclined chute leading from the first to the second conveyer, and a defiector for diverting carriers from the first belt into the chute.

15. A central station unit comprising an elongate open trough-and a series o-f de livery terminals arranged to discharge carriers into the trough, an elongate table arranged in front of and below the trough, despatch terminals disposed above the table, each despatch terminal corresponding to one of the delivery terminals, an operators station at the side of the table within reach of all of the despatch terminals, conveyer belts for moving carriers toward opposite ends of thetrough, deflectors for diverting the carriers from the trough, forwardly inclined chutes by which the diverted carriers are them onto the-table from opposite ends thereof.

16.1. A centralstation unit comprising a support for carriers, an operatorsstation-at onesideof said support, anfopen trough at the other side of the support, ,a series of de.- livery terminals from which: arriving carriersare discharged into theftreugh, means for moving-carriers toward an end of the trouglnmeansfor deiiecting carriers laterc ally;` from *the-trough, and means for receiving the deflected carriers and moving them onto the support and in front of the op erators station.

17. A central station unit comprising a table, an operators station at one side thereof, an open trough extending longitudinally of the table at its opposite side, a series of delivery terminals disposed to discharge carriers into the trough, a pair of belt conveyers constituting the floor of the trough, means for moving the conveyers oppositely and away from the center of the trough, deflectors for diverting' carriers forwardly from each belt conveyer, and conveyers for moving such deflected carriers onto the table from opposite ends of the latter.

18. A central station unit comprising an elongate open trough, a row of delivery terminals extending along the trough and discharging carriers into the latter, said terminals being arranged in two groups having their ends directed toward opposite ends of the trough respectively, and means for moving carriers discharged from terminals of the respective groups toward opposite ends of the trough.

19. A central station unit comprising an elongate open trough, belt conveyers having runs constituting the floor of the trough at opposite ends thereof respectively, said runs moving oppositely toward the ends of the trough, and two groups of delivery terminals arranged to discharge carriers into the trough, and onto the respective belts.

20. A central station unit comprising an operators station serving a plurality of sending stations, a delivery and a despatch track approaching the operator-s station from each of the sending stations, one track of each pair being disposed directly above the other, a delivery terminal corresponding to each delivery t-rack and a despatch terminal corresponding to each despatch track, the several delivery and despatch terminals being arranged in parallel rows respectively att-he operators station.

21. A central station unit comprising an operators stat-ion, an elongate support for carriers at said station, a pair of elevated tracks extending at an angle to the length of Cil the support, one ot' said tracks being vertically above the other, the upper track having despatch terminal portions provided with a carrier receiving opening within convenient reach of the operator, and the lower track having a delivery terminal portion disposed directly behind the despatch terminal and from which arriving carriers are freely discharged.

22. A central station unit comprising an operators station, a plurality of pairs of elevated tracks corresponding respectively to a series of sending stations, the several tracks being disposed at dierent heights and one track of each pair lying vertically above the other, a delivery terminal corresponding to one track of each pair and a despatch terminal corresponding to the other track of each pair, said despatch terminals and delivery terminals being arranged in parallel rows with the despatch terminals in ,front of the delivery terminals and Within convenient reach of the operators station.

Signed by nie at Boston, Mass., this 24th day ot April, i923.

JOHN J. REGAN. 

